Healthcare clinics and hospitals are prime real estate for bed bugs. These bugs come from people’s homes and travel via personal possessions like luggage and clothing. Then, they stick to furniture like hospital beds, where they can both hide and have a constant supply of blood to eat. This cycle continues as people move from place to place. Bed bugs don’t spread disease, but they can cause adverse health effects with long-term exposure. An infestation can also tarnish your hospital’s reputation. Here’s what to do if you find bed bugs in your healthcare facility.
How Infestations Happen
Visitors, patients, and staff all have the potential to bring bed bugs in. Bed bugs can come from any cloth surface, and they attach to people’s belongings to travel. Once they get to the healthcare facility, they hide under equipment, furnishings and decor. Healthcare facilities are particularly high risk because of all the shared furniture between patients.
Prevention is the Best Cure
Start by keeping the facility clean. Bed bugs aren’t a sign of a dirty building, but deep cleaning, especially under furniture, can deter their spread. Vacuum areas prone to bed bugs like floors around beds, areas behind furniture, and under upholstered furniture. Train staff to see the signs of bed bugs, such as dark red spots and discarded shells, and create a process for how to report and eliminate bed bugs. Monitor high-traffic areas like waiting areas and housekeeping storage. The earlier you catch an infestation, the easier and less costly it will be to treat.
In the Event of an Infestation
If you discover an infestation, call a professional pest control company. Make an appointment at the soonest possible time. Avoid DIY solutions, which can be ineffective and impact patients’ health. See if you can find all the bugs, and remove patients from infested rooms. When pest control technicians arrive, let them know about all the places you found evidence of bed bugs. They’ll check those rooms, adjacent rooms, and all the furniture in the building. They’ll also help you figure out the safest, most effective treatment plan.
After the Fact
The pest control company that takes care of the infestation should have some advice for you on the best way to clean up after a bed bug infestation. Here are a few tips:
- Clean all linens in rooms that have bed bugs. Inspect the furniture.
- Take infested rooms out of service until infestation is fully removed. This could be hours or days, depending on the treatment.
- Inspect personal items of patients to make sure they’re not infested.
Bed bugs can spell disaster for patients in healthcare facilities. Pro-Staff, a company offering Des Moines bed bug removal services, can help in the event of an infestation. Give us a call at 515-279-7378 or contact us online to learn more.